Don't you just love it

50C8DAN

As we all know, working on old cars can be rewarding as well as frustrating, especially when the car you are working on has been "worked" on before.  I am replacing the Tredle Vac power brakes on my '54 with a modern booster and MC.  The previous owner supposedly had the Tredle Vac rebuilt, although I am not sure of that considering what it looks like and feels (my '50C8 has better brakes).  Anyway, the TV mounting is a mix of 3/8 coarse and fine threads, so that was interesting.  Then I get to the new power booster, 7in dual that I got from Speedway Motors.  I needed to put some spacer nuts on the mounting flange and I thought they were 5/16 coarse, but looking closer it appeared to be 5/16 fine, so off to the hardware store.  Get back and start to mount up and the nuts don't fit, they are M8 metrics.  Such fun!!!!    Damned Chinese made repros!

longlivelance

I feel the pain of previous work on a vehicle you are restoring! Almost every bolt I have pulled out of multiple parts on my truck are different sizes and threads. I think I have 5 different combinations for my front fender. 

Old Fogey UK

Try getting nuts and bolts in Britain that aren't Metric these days  - they're like unobtainium !

superwasp

Old Fogey UK said:

Try getting nuts and bolts in Britain that aren't Metric these days  - they're like unobtainium !

I'll bet. I imagine you get some strange looks when asking about them too. ?

54coupe

There are screws for the old Hudsons I can't find at all, even here in the USA. I need 14-24x 3/4" slotted fillister head screws for a late teens Hudson brass side draft carb I want to use on my 29....

Geoff

I went to Berg Hardware in Pasadena, and (tongue in cheek) asked for some No. 8/32 oval head slotted machine screws.   I was asked "Do you want plain steel, brass, chrome or nickel plated, or stainless!   So they are out there.

dholck

Looking at a machinists blog from 2013, it seems that the #14-24 bolt is more-or-less extinct (as is the 1/4-24). They talk about making them, or tapping #14 hole to 1/4", which is very close to #14.  Some smart person could tell us if you'd go coarse to 1/4X20, or fine to 1/4x28.  Those are out there;  https://www.mcmaster.com/91794A559
https://www.mcmaster.com/91794A540
These guys say they have 1/4-24; I sent them an email asking if they have fillister head (after 5PM in Georgia).  http://www.olddude.com/pricelist.htm

50C8DAN

Ken how well I learned.  I bought 5/16-24 nuts and indeed they started threading on pretty well then stopped.  Took some other nuts from the booster and at first I was stumped what was up, then the light went on!  I assumed it was made in China so most likely metric and sure enough they were M8 x 1.0 nuts.